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Have you tried a bowl cozy yet? I see them popping up everywhere because they are pretty darn handy to have in the kitchen. Microwave your food, pop the bowl into a cozy and voila! You can hold the bowl without burning your hands (or your table for that matter) and it will keep your food warm a bit longer as it provides a bit of insulation.
The other day I was making my daughter lunch and when I bobbled her Easy Mac taking it out of the microwave I paused to wonder – could I use a bowl cozy on one of these single serving meal cups? You know – Easy Mac, Rice A Roni, Hamburger Helper, Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, etc. – the microwave single-serving meals in cups that are quick and easy. I set out to design a cozy to fit this size and I love the result. I have free printable templates for you, so the process of sewing one is easy peasy!
These cozies use all 100% cotton materials so if anyone wanted to put the cup in the cozy and THEN microwave it, it would be safe to do so. Wrap-N-Zap, the cotton batting I used to make mine, says to only microwave their product in 2-minute intervals for no longer than 8 minutes. And while I don’t microwave my meals in the cozy, they should be sewn so they are safe to use in a microwave just in case.
I also have free printable care instruction cards to include with any cozies you make to give away too. That way the new recipient knows how to use it and wash it safely.
This is a fantastic beginner sewing project so anyone can make one. Let’s jump right in!
Watch a video tutorial:
Supplies:
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100% cotton fabric with no metallic design elements – you could use one or two fabrics – one for the inside, and the same or a second for the outside.
100% cotton batting – I used Pellon Wrap-N-Zap
Sewing machine
Optional:
Let's Get Started Sewing a Meal Cup Cozy:
Before you get started, make sure to wash and dry your cotton fabrics.
Next, print out the free templates making sure to print them at actual size instead of letting the printer size them to the available area.
Then, cut them out. There are two – one for the cotton fabric and one for the cotton batting. You could use the fabric template and cut out the batting at the same size, but my sewing machine did not like the bulky seams when I tried it, so I use the second smaller template for the batting.
If you want sturdier templates, print them on cardstock. And if you’d like templates that are even sturdier (and could be used with a rotary cutter to cut out your fabric) transfer the patterns to a Dollar Store cutting board. It’s thin enough to cut through with scissors but is thick enough to act like an acrylic template.
Next cut out your materials. Cut two squares of cotton fabric 9 ½ inches x 9 ½ inches.
Fold this square in half and in half again.
Line the template up in the corner so the edges labeled "Folded Edge" are exactly in line with the actual folded edges of the fabric.
Use your fabric marking pen or pencil to trace around the top edges of the template.
WITHOUT UNFOLDING, use your fabric scissors to cut along your marked lines.
Do this for your second cotton fabric square so you have two pieces cut with the larger template.
Repeat this process with the cotton batting, cutting two pieces 9 1/2 x 9 1/2, folding them and using the smaller template to cut out the shapes.
Now we need to attach each piece of fabric to each piece of batting. Line the batting up on the wrong side of the cotton fabric and use your sewing machine to stitch an X through the centers of the two pieces going from end to opposite end twice.
Next up is to sew darts which sounds fancier than it is. I'm going to call the spaces between the chunks of fabric "openings." Fold each edge of a cotton fabric opening toward the edge next to it so the right sides of the fabrics are facing one another and then line them up. Use your finger to smooth out an rumples or folds.
Sew a ¼-inch seam down each these edges to attach them together.
If the batting is giving you grief while you sew, a stiletto is quite handy for pushing the batting down and into the needle.
Repeat for all four sets of edges on each of the two pieces of cotton fabric. This will give two vaguely bowl-shaped pieces.
Flip one of the cotton pieces inside out and place it inside the second cotton piece so the right sides of the fabrics are facing. Line up all the seams and edges and clip or pin in place.
Mark a 1 ½ - 2-inch section you will NOT sew in the next step.
Sew around the top edges of the fabrics with a ¼ inch seam allowance except for that section you marked.
Use the opening you left to flip the fabric right side out.
Fold the edges of the opening inward so the new edge matches up with the edge created when you sewed the two pieces together. Clip it in place. I like to roll the edges too, so the inside fabric isn’t showing on the outside and vice versa, and clip this as well.
Sew around the entire top edge with a 1/8-inch seam to close the opening and top stitch the rest.
That's it! It's ready for use, to give away, or even sell at a craft fair. You can add a free care card to make it look even better. The cards explain how to use the cozy and how to wash it.
Happy Crafting!